Did you know that the Missouri River is the longest river? Well, technically, the Nile River is the longest river in the world, stretching over 4,100 miles, however, the Missouri River is the longest river in the United States.
Even though the Missouri River is only half as long as the Nile River, the Missouri River is undoubtedly immense, spanning across 7 states. Assuming the average width of the Missouri River is 3,000 feet, the total area of the Missouri River is approximately 1,300 square miles, which is about the same area as the state of Rhode Island or Lake Iliamna in Alaska!
This is the final Onward American post of the year, and in honor of 2024, here is a list of the 24 longest rivers in the United States.
The 24 Longest Rivers in the United States
1. Missouri River (2,341 miles)
The Missouri River is not only the longest river in the United States, but it is also the longest river in North America. The Missouri River flows through the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri.
2. Mississippi River (2,340 miles)
The Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States and North America. While the Mississippi River is slightly shorter than the Missouri River, the average width of the Mississippi River is roughly 1 mile, meaning the total area of the Mississippi River is about 2,340 square miles, which is about the same area as that of Delaware or Lake of the Woods, the 6th largest lake in the US.
The Mississippi River courses through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
3. Yukon River (1,979 miles)
The Yukon River flows from the Canadian province of British Columbia, through the Canadian territory of Yukon, and across the state of Alaska.
4. Rio Grande River (1,759 miles)
The Rio Grande River defines a large section of the US-Mexico border; the river begins in the state of Colorado, snakes through the state of New Mexico, and separates the state of Texas from the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas.
5. Colorado River (1,450 miles)
The Colorado River originates in the state of Colorado and runs through the states of Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California; the river goes on to divide the Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora before emptying into the Gulf of California.
6. Arkansas River (1,443 miles)
The Arkansas River meanders through the states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
7. Columbia River (1,243 miles)
The Columbia River flows from the Canadian province of British Columbia to the states of Washington and Oregon.
8. Red River (1,125 miles)
The Red River divides the states of Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas before running through Louisiana.
9. Snake River (1,040 miles)
The Snake River meanders through the states of Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
10. Ohio River (979 miles)
The Ohio River begins in the state of Pennsylvania, then it separates the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois from West Virginia and Kentucky.
11. Colorado River of Texas (970 miles)
The Colorado River of Texas is unsurprisingly found only in the state of Texas.
12. Tennessee River (935 miles)
The Tennessee River winds through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, back through Tennessee, and then into Kentucky.
13. Canadian River (906 miles)
While the Canadian River’s name might seem to imply that it runs through Canada, the river is nowhere near Canada. The Canadian River is in the southwestern United States, flowing through the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.
14. Brazos River (860 miles)
The Brazos River stretches across a large portion of the state of Texas.
15. Green River (760 miles)
The Green River snakes across the states of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah.
16. Pecos River (730 miles)
The Pecos River runs through New Mexico and Texas.
17. White River (720 miles)
The White River winds from Arkansas, through Missouri, and back into Arkansas.
18. James River (710 miles)
The James River flows through the states of North Dakota and South Dakota.
19. Kuskokwim River (702 miles)
The Kuskokwim River runs through the state of Alaska.
20. Cimarron River (698 miles)
The Cimarron River streams through Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas.
21. Cumberland River (696 miles)
The Cumberland River runs from Kentucky, through Tennessee, and back into Kentucky.
22. Yellowstone River (678 miles)
The Yellowstone River flows through Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota.
23. North Platte River (665 miles)
The North Platte River winds through Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
24. Milk River (625 miles)
The Milk River flows from the state of Montana, through the Canadian province of Alberta, and back into Montana.
Happy New Year!
Which river is your favorite?
Onward American 